"I work hard, I make my own living and I love it. I like having financial independence," Hayek tells the new issue of Redbook. "I don't ever want to have to depend on anyone completely."

But being the wife of Pinault, the 49-year-old CEO of Pinault-Printemps-Redoute, certainly has its perks, she admits: "When I have troubles sometimes, its nice to have someone there to help."

And her fashion-industry titan of a hubby only has so much sway when it comes to her style, too. "Like I said, I’m still a Mexican," Hayek quips. "I like to play fashion with him, but I'm nobody's Barbie."

"You can have a spiritual awakening and discover a new side of you at any age. And best of all, love can happen at any age. Life can just start to get exciting when you’re in your 40s and 50s. You have to believe that."